Washington has been the backdrop for some of the country’s proudest and saddest moments; John Kennedy’s inauguration, the Cuban missile crisis, the Civil Rights movement, the Kennedy and Reagan funerals, Watergate, the Iraq wars, the Clinton sex scandal, the man on the moon, the Mideast Peace Agreement, the fall of communism and so much more. I was actually in Washington the day Martin Luther King was assassinated and had to flee the City as the rioting started.
Seeing the nation’s capital on TV is one thing, to see it in person is quite something else. No city evokes such feelings of pride and patriotism. To see our seat of government and its majestic buildings and monuments, particularly at night, is to inspire even the most jaded. I have been to Washington many times over the years and actually lived in Northern Virginia for a time. To this day I still get shivers down my spine at the site of the White House and Capitol and Jefferson Memorial. Watching people who have lost loved ones, some they never knew, at the Vietnam Memorial, is to understand in some small way the sacrifices people have made for this great country.
Loads of activities, great restaurants and wonderful places just to stroll along make this an outstanding choice for a weekend getaway. Unique to many major cities, the “country” is a short distance from the heart of the city, opening up other possibilities for sightseeing and dining. There is much history to the Virginia and Maryland countryside and two of our favorite restaurants are in the “country.”